"Since the offer of an arena is on the table, this should be the minimum required for consideration for the slots license."

According to what was printed in the papers today about the O'Connor-Sawyer meeting, it sounds like O'Connor and Onorato are going to meet with the other two license applicants (Barden and Forest City) and recommend to them that they amend their proposals to include funding for a new arena.

I'm hoping that these two grow some stones and start demanding - not recommending, but DEMANDING - a new arena. You don't want to publicly endorse one plan, fine. But as Mr. Downing said, keep the arena on the table. If O'Connor and Onorato are as serious about this arena issue as they say...if they TRULY hold a new arena for this city in that high regard...they can certainly make it clear that they WON'T be endorsing a plan that doesn't include complete funding for a new arena.

"Should the license be granted without matching this minimum, the July 7 pay-jacking fiasco will look like a picnic."

This is something that all of these officials need to be reminded of. The pay raise fiasco heightened everyone's awareness of the way politicians operate, and it proved that the voice of the people will be heard and acted upon if enough noise is made. It's important that we remind them that they should've learned their lesson with the pay raise fiaso last year.

The one great thing that's come from all of this arena talk is that it is beginning to look like Rendell, O'Connor and Onorato believed this whole issue would be a much easier cakewalk than it's been for them. The fact that they weren't prepared for this level of scrutiny is evidenced by the frustrated tone that these three are often using when they are confronted on the issue. As Mr. Downing suggested, we need to keep reminding them that we know what they are up to.

The era of good feelings for these clowns is over. It's time to start listening to the voice of the people.

The truly absurd thing is how out of touch those idiots were. If they had just thrown the arena stuff in with the rest of the FC proposal, or told the Pens in advance that it was going to be in there (and to maintain a low profile), they'd probably have skated this right by us. I don't know if it was stupidity or just sheer arrogance, but they have brought all of this scrutiny upon themselves.

Agreed. If there was no arena issue and if the Pen's weren't forced to partner with a slots applicant, these mobsters would be in the clear. No one would care that they had friends waiting to make a ton of money and siphon some of it back to them as a thank you.

Perhaps it's just semantics to others, but when I heard Tim Benz interviewing O'Connor on Tuesday, here's the quote from BOC that made me chuckle.......

"I know you all love those Penguins......"

"Those" Penguins? Not "our" Penguins?

He could have just as well said, "Those damn Penguins, I wish I didn't have to deal with this crap."

Stoosh is right--clearly they didn't expect this level of support. They probably wish it were still football season.

That being said, while things get slightly more encouraging by the day, we can't let up the pressure until the ink is dry on an arena deal, no matter who ends up building it. I've encouraged as many of my relatives back home in PA as I can, to make a stink about this with their legislators. I encourage everyone else to do the same.

If the pressure continues unabated, those politicians may demand the Three Amigos get this done and soon, just to get us off their backs if nothing else.

imau2fan wrote:Perhaps it's just semantics to others, but when I heard Tim Benz interviewing O'Connor on Tuesday, here's the quote from BOC that made me chuckle.......

"I know you all love those Penguins......"

"Those" Penguins? Not "our" Penguins?

I agree that his quote was funny. Its obvious he doesn't care about the team, hockey, or anything that they bring to the city. Especially given his preference that Pittsburgh have an NBA team. Like THAT would work.

dboss wrote:I agree that his quote was funny. Its obvious he doesn't care about the team, hockey, or anything that they bring to the city. Especially given his preference that Pittsburgh have an NBA team. Like THAT would work.

Agreed, who on earth in the Burgh is going to go see a poor NBA expansion team? Pittsburgh isnt an NBA type city....just like Vancouver wasnt, just like New Orleans wasnt (yea they may get that team back but do they really care?)